


A Summer Dream

by error807, popoffcentral



Category: Dream Team - Fandom, George - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game), Sapnap - Fandom, Video Blogging RPF, dream - Fandom, mcyt
Genre: Angst, Angst and Humor, Beaches, Character Death, Death, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Flustered GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Hurt Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Hurt Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), M/M, POV GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Romantic Fluff, Summer Romance, Touch-Starved Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Wingman Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-19 01:21:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29991738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/error807/pseuds/error807, https://archiveofourown.org/users/popoffcentral/pseuds/popoffcentral
Summary: George spends his summer break within his small hometown, slaving away at an ice cream parlor. With no plans in mind except for his future career, he can't help but let himself be strung along when a cute guy appears to order some ice cream.
Relationships: Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF)
Comments: 27
Kudos: 63





	A Summer Dream

**Author's Note:**

> warning!! there is major character death in this story. if you're sensitive to that, this probably isn't the story for you :]

The hot sun beats down on the back of George’s neck as he bikes his way through the sand-filled streets. It's been over eighty degrees for five consecutive days and the sun is getting to George, especially prominent with the dark freckles dusted across his face. 

The tourists of the small beachside town don’t seem to mind the heat as they populate the streets decked out in sunglasses and t-shirts. The early June weather practically invites heavy tourist flow.

George isn't particularly opposed to the hot weather. In fact, he prefers it over the cold winters he spends at college cramming for his midterm. George is extremely susceptible to sunburns, though, which makes life without sunscreen and shade a living hell.

As he pulls up to the ice cream parlor, he peers through the window to see a crowd already forming within the shop. Shoving his bike into a nearby rack, he quickly makes his way into the store. The smell of Hawaiian air freshener hits him the instant he steps foot into the parlor and the volume dies down in comparison to the busy streets.

He works here every summer he comes back from college. In fact, he has been working here ever since he turned fifteen as a part-time job. It’s a great way to easily earn money while having manageable hours. And most of all, the nostalgia of his hometown keeps him sane when college overwhelms him.

“Hey, George,” Taylor says, barely having enough time to acknowledge him as he rushes to scoop ice cream for some eager kids. Despite being two years older, Taylor started working at the store around the same time George did. 

George knows him as an irresponsible co-worker who ditches shifts due to hangovers. Although, Taylor did recently start dating a girl and managed himself better after being dumped once by her.

“Morning,” George greets as he passes him to get his apron. The dull pink print on the apron is a familiar sight after many years of working here. The nametag pinned to the apron is scratched and peeling from the harsh treatment.

Another familiar face bursts into the store and George grins as his eyes meet her blue ones.

“Holy fuck, am I late? How is George here before me?” Willow jokes as she reaches for her apron. 

“I was literally only late once?” George shoots back while he slides a pair of latex gloves onto his hands. He tries his best to sound mad, but his smile inevitably seeps into his voice.

“Twice,” She corrects with a teasing smile. She moves to the cash register while George helps with scooping the ice cream.

“Willow’s right,” Taylor agrees and George scoffs.

“I’ve covered like five of your shifts this month alone! You have no room to talk,” He retorts, and Taylor mockingly raises his hands in surrender. George grabs an ice cream scooper that was sitting in warm water and starts working on the first order.

George’s hands fall into a rhythmic pattern and rush hour passes with little to no problems. The amount of people wandering the streets decreases and George allows his mind to drift. He imagines himself exploring the world without a care or recklessly racing a sports car down the highway. Things still far from his grasp that he hopes to do one day.

He honestly had no plans aside from his future career. Getting married seems like a distant concept for him. Of course, George has had his fair share of relationships and experiences, but his mind came up blank when he thought of a future partner. 

As the shop begins to clear and the sun becomes merely a golden glow above the water, Willow pulls her apron off and hangs it up. Taylor does the same.

“Closing again tonight huh?” Willow asks after letting her hair down from the tight bun it was held in. George sighs.

“Unfortunately,” He replies as he wipes one of the tables in the parlor. 

“Only two more hours,” Taylor says. In a weak attempt to cheer him up, he adds “at least the shop finally fixed the air conditioner.”

“Stay strong, soldier,” Willow ruffles his hair as she passes him and he lightheartedly rolls his eyes. 

“Thanks, I suppose,” He says as he swats away her hand. They give their final condolences before escaping, the chime of the bell signaling their departure from the store. 

Truthfully, business is slow after the blistering heat of the afternoon has passed. Sometimes there are sappy couples or groups of drunk friends, but nothing too hard to deal with. The most annoying part is waiting for time to pass.

He slouches behind the counter, hiding from the blinding sunset reflecting through the big windows. He scrolls through his phone, replying to tweets and texts. He isn’t particularly popular but he still has a large share of friends.

He glances up as the door chimes again. A few guys tumble into the previously empty store, exchanging small shoves and jokes. 

“Hey, how can I help you?” George asks as he approaches the register.

“Hi! Can we order, please?” One of the boys asks. George notices the guy towers over him as he makes his way to the front of the group.

“Sure, what would you like?” George smiles politely.

“Double scoop of pistachio in a cup, please,” He replies and George punches it into the machine. He glances at the other guys expectantly for their order.

“I want a double scoop of rocky road on a chocolate cone, please!”

“Can I have a single scoop of mint chocolate chip in a cone?”

“Just a rootbeer float, thanks.”

“Anything else?” George asks as he finishes putting their order into the machine. They exchange glances before shaking their heads. “Your total will be fifteen bucks and eighty-two cents. Cash or card?”

“Cash,” The tall one replies as he pulls out a ten and a bunch of ones. George briskly counts out his change and hands it to him along with his receipt. After grabbing his change, the guy pulls another five out of his pocket and holds it out for George with a dorky grin. 

“The tip jar is right there,” George stifles a chuckle as he gestures right next to the guy.

“Oh,” He sheepishly laughs as he drops it in the jar. The guys explode in laughter and start to tease him.

“I really appreciate it, though. Can I get a name for the order?” George asks, barely suppressing his laughter.

“Dream.”

“Alright, cool. Your order will be out in a second,” George smiles and Dream returns a grin. They make their way towards a booth next to the windows and George hears them continue to make fun of Dream.

It only takes George around a minute to finish their order. His years of experience wouldn’t betray him. 

“Dream?” He calls out, and Dream's attention instantly snaps to him. George sees his face physically brighten as he realizes their order is ready.

“Come grab your shit, guys!” He lightly shoves the shorter guy next to him and the group moves to take their ice cream. As George hands Dream his pistachio ice cream, he notices that it’s almost the same color as Dream’s eyes. 

“Do I have something on my face?” Dream teases and gives him a crooked smile. George lets out a little laugh

“Not at all, sorry,” George smiles as he hands out the rest of the orders. The guys retreat to their seats after saying thanks and George goes back to his space behind the counter. He can’t help but let his eyes wander to Dream every once in a while. 

The sound of his laugh and the way he would bend over to clutch his stomach because he laughed too hard was entrancing. George could easily tell he was the type to be the center of attention purely due to his personality.

The sun finally disappears behind the horizon and the street light flickers on in the street. The group gets up and prepares to leave after throwing away their trash. Although seemingly looking at his phone, George’s eyes trace Dream’s long steps.

The chime of the bell rings as the guys start filing out, Dream at the back of the group. He has one foot out the door before he pauses and turns around.

“Goodnight, George,” He grins before stepping out into the warm summer night and letting the door close behind him.

George pauses for a moment at the mention of his name before realizing he has his nametag pinned to his apron. His face breaks out into a smile as he grabs a wet rag to clean the table.

\---

George doesn’t see Dream for a few days after that. Thoughts about the tall man slip from his memory as he focuses on work and preparing to go back to college. The heat finally breaks after five more days, followed by cool rain and rumbling thunder.

It’s a slow day in the shop due to the weather outside, and George feels a newfound appreciation for stormy weather.

“You don’t understand, George. She is literally the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen. I swear to god,” Willow insists as they mop the floors together. Lightning crackles in the distance, standing out against the gloomy skies.

“You’ve said that about twelve women just this month,” George reasons and Willow rolls her eyes.

“But she’s different! I just know it!” She readjusts her grip on the mop and starts dancing with it, “I can imagine us dancing at a ball together in our big gowns after assassinating an important political figure!”

“Quite a big scheme you have there!” George quips and Willow lets out a sigh.

“Have some leniency for the sake of romance, man,” She argues as she shoves aside some chairs to mop underneath the table.

The bells suddenly ring as the door is pushed open and Dream comes in with one other guy. They are drenched in their bathing suits with only a single surfboard serving to protect them from the rain. George instantly recognizes the voice and his tall frame.

“I told you it was a bad fucking idea!” Dream complains to the shorter man as he shakes his hair off like a dog.

“You know you had fun, bitch,” The other man snaps.

“How can we help you?” Willow asks with a skeptical expression. She glances at the puddle of water they leave on the welcome mat and they both immediately stop arguing.

“Can we stay here a bit? Until the rain dies down at least?” Dream shoots a pleading look at George after meeting his eyes. George can’t help but let out a small snicker at Dream’s helpless situation.

“Well, we don't have any customers anyway,” George shrugs after a few moments and glances at Willow to confirm it. She nods in agreement and the two drenched men sigh in relief.

“You guys can sit over there; it's furthest from the air conditioning,” George gestures towards a corner booth, and both of them say words of thanks before going to their corner.

“I’m gonna get them something to dry up with,” George tells Willow.

“Yeah, you probably should,” Willow agrees after sparing a glance at the two men pitifully shivering in the corner. George heads into the back of the shop to grab some clean dishwashing towels and two glasses of hot water. 

“This is all we have,” George tells Dream and the other guy once he gets to their seats where they look up at him with guilty smiles. 

“That’s more than enough. Thank you so much,” Dream immediately starts drying himself and his companion follows.

“Dream, right?” George asks and Dream beams as if he’s happy to hear George remembers his name.

“Yeah! And this is Sapnap,” Dream gestures towards the other guy. Sapnap grins as he cups his hands around the warm cup of water.

“Hi… George!” Sapnap squints at the nametag. 

“Nice to meet you,” George says as the corners of his mouth turn up. “So, how’d you guys end up in this situation?”

“You’re gonna want to sit down for this one,” Dream sighs after shooting a bitter glare at Sapnap.

“Oh yeah, blame it all on me, huh?” Sapnap rolls his eyes. 

“I’ve got plenty of time,” George says and he goes to pull up a chair before Dream's hand gently grabs his wrist.

“You can just sit next to me. The seat is dry, I promise,” Dreams grins with muddled intentions. George quickly feels warmth creep up his cheeks. Dream scoots over and pats the seat to invite George to sit down.

“Okay… thanks,” George scoots into the booth, hypersensitive when their legs bump together. Dream, seemingly unphased, starts telling the story.

“In the morning we finally got our boards but it was thundering. So obviously I planned to go another day and I settled on the couch to have a moviethon,” Dream starts his story and George nods in agreement. He’s trying his best to listen, but it’s hard when Dream is pressed up against him.

“But then this dumbass comes downstairs with his board and his bathing suit. Everyone else said no due to obvious reasons so he came to beg me to go with him,” 

“Everyone knows waves are bigger during stormy days!” Sapnap whines in rebuttal.

“It’s also a safety hazard to go in the ocean during stormy days,” George raises an eyebrow and Sapnap falls silent with a pout on his face.

“Anyways, I said no. Then he starts fucking dragging me to the bedroom saying that if I don’t change and go with him, he’ll. change. me.” Dream says, emphasizing the last few words. George snorts in a poor attempt to hide his laughter.

“Then, we go to the ocean and we didn’t even ride three waves when Sapnap fucking crashes into me and his board goes flying into the ocean,”

“I shit you not, something grabbed my fucking board,” Sapnap deadpans. Dream rolls his eyes in disbelief and George is almost doubled over at this point laughing.

“And then this idiot insists we get out of the water. While we were climbing out of the water, lightning struck literally less than fifty feet away from us. That’s when we fucking booted it and started running for the nearest shelter. Somehow, we ended up here,” Dream concludes.

“You ended up here, huh,” George repeats as he starts to sober up.

“Yep,” Sapnap hums in agreement. “I’m a little traumatized.”

“Serves you right,” Dream scoffs, and Sapnap glares at him.

“Oh yeah? Remember the time when you…” 

The rest of the rainy day is spent exchanging stories. After a while, Willow joins them and starts telling embarrassing stories of her own. As the sun peeks through the dark clouds, they have tired themselves out laughing. 

George meets Dream’s eyes as they lay their heads on the table, winded. Although he had his suspicions, it’s now clear to George that Dream is attractive. His dimples, his eyes, his ever so slightly curled blond hair, and most of all, his laugh. 

“My cheeks hurt,” George complains as he breaks the eye contact and buries his head in his hands.

“My stomach hurts,” Sapnap groans. Willow utters a moan in agreement. Dream lifts his head and playfully kicks George out of the seat.

“I don’t even have the strength to fight back,” George grumbles as he lays on the floor. Dream starts to laugh at him.

“Sapnap, we gotta go before the guys call the police for us,” Dreams drags Sapnap out of his seat.

“They probably didn't even notice we were gone,” Sapnap retorts as he reluctantly gets on his feet.

“Stop being a baby and leave,” Willow tiredly waves him off and Sapnap simply replies with a middle finger. Dream chuckles at their antics while reaching down to hoist George off of the cold parlor floor. 

“Bye-bye,” George waves as he almost robotically starts cleaning up the mess they made once his feet feel stable ground.

“Yeah, bye,” Willow mutters into her hands.

“See you guys later,” Sapnap opens the door and steps out onto the wet pavement, Dream following close behind him.

“Bye Willow,” Dream’s eyes land on George, “George.”

The door closes with the familiar chime of the bell. George looks out the window at Dream’s receding figure, unable to stop the smile from spreading across his face despite his pained cheeks. 

Willow finally inspires enough energy to get up and start helping George when something suddenly catches her eye.

“Whoa, a rainbow!”

\---

Dream becomes a regular at the ice cream parlor. Sometimes he comes with friends, and sometimes he comes by himself. George loves the way Dream’s face lights up every time they make eye contact. Dream loves the way George’s eyes chase him every time he enters or leaves the parlor.

The lines of their relationship blur in the days after they had all hung out together. They’re something more than friends, but definitely not lovers. It seems as though they hover awkwardly in between the two.

On a bustling afternoon with the temperature in the mid-nineties, George is hard at work scraping rock-solid Italian ice. On the other hand, Dream sits alone by the window eating his pistachio ice cream. Although he’s taking up a booth, George doesn’t mind at all.

“George, you really gotta get that Italian ice out here, man!” Taylor calls over the noise within the store.

“I’m not even making a dent in this thing!” George yells back. He jabs it repeatedly with the scooper, but the only results are a few shards of the flavored ice being sent flying.

“I’ll handle the ice if you can manage the register,” Taylor says, and George hands him the scooper with no hesitation. 

“Where the hell is my Italian ice?” A middle-aged woman complains. She holds two young children in her hands who are wailing for one reason or another.

“I’m so sorry, but the cooler must have malfunctioned at some point in the night. It’s frozen solid. Can I offer you anything else?” George shoots a strained smile at her and she raises an eyebrow.

“I don’t want anything else. Just give me the Italian ice,” She retorts. The crowd of people behind her start growing restless waiting for ice cream.

“As I’ve explained, the-”

“God, are you useless or something? I used to get much better service back in my day.” She rolls her eyes. Dream glowers at her and starts to get up but pauses when George gives him a look.

“Unfortunately, I can’t help you with that. Unless you want to pay for the solid chunk of ice we have, you’ll have to choose something else,” George offers. 

“We’re leaving. Jimmy, Thomas, let’s go,” The lady scoffs and drags her children out of the store. Dream can’t help but admire the way George handled the woman's attitude. Dream’s admiration quickly morphs into concern when he sees George pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration.

“Long day, huh?” Dream asks when George finally gets a break nearly an hour later. George jumps at Dream’s voice, but his expression quickly melts into a smile.

“I started debating quitting halfway through,” George answers and slides into the seat across from Dream.

“Mhmm, I bet,” Dream hums as he observes George’s tired face. “When do you get off?”

“In like twenty,” George answers as he finishes off the rest of his water.

“So at 6?”

“Yep.”

“Wanna go somewhere with me?” Dream asks, seemingly nonchalant. George glances skeptically at him, but the slight blush in Dream’s cheeks and the way his fingers anxiously fiddle make it hard to say no. 

“Sure,” George agrees with a grin, and Dream’s face breaks out in a smile.

“Let’s go!” He whoops embarrassingly loudly, earning a few curious stares. 

“I’ll see you in twenty then,” George chuckles and returns to finish his shift.

“Going on a date?” Taylor teases as George hangs up his apron. George shoots him a glare.

“No,” George replies crossly, earning a snicker from Taylor.

“Have fun.”

“I will,” George finally says with a smile before he makes his way to Dream.

“You ready?” Dream asks and George raises an eyebrow at him. 

“You never told me where we’re going,” George reminds him and a moment of realization passes through Dream.

“Well I didn’t really have any plans,” Dream answers guiltily. George stares at him for a moment, stunned, before bursting out in laughter. 

“Let’s just walk along the beach,” George suggests. They step out of the cool store into the blistering heat. The streets are slowly clearing, people returning home after a day in the sun. The exhaustion is reflected in the calm streets with the occasional call of seagulls.

Their steps are synced as they stroll along the pavement, sand from the beach strewn across the ground. Dream is the first to break the silence.

“You know what? I didn’t have much hope for this small town in the middle of nowhere. I only came here with Sapnap and the others because it was cheap. But God, I’m so glad I met you.” Dream rambles as they walk and George feels himself get even warmer despite the already warm temperature. 

“Me too,” George agrees shortly with lack of any better words. It feels bittersweet to him. Although he‘s happy right now, he knows it’ll all disappear once Dream goes back to the city. 

“George,” Dream stops in his tracks. George feels his heart skip a few beats as he anxiously anticipates what is about to happen.

“No, no, no, stop, please,” George says as Dream stares into his eyes. He gently grasps one of George’s hands.

“Just listen to me,” Dream pleads, “I feel like if I don’t say this I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.”

“You don’t understand, Dream,” George backs away, “this will never work out.”

“Doesn’t it hurt more, not even trying, George?”

“I’m scared, Dream,” George admits. He can’t imagine tasting the brief freedom of love just for it to be ripped away from him. He’s already so connected to Dream, and they’re only friends. What would happen if they were more?

“Me too, George. But I’m more scared of letting you go without even trying.” Dream reaches for George's face and George allows for Dream to cup his cheek, “please.”

“George, I love you. I love you. I love you so much it hurts. George, what am I supposed to do?” Dream mumbles, pulling him into a soft hug. The way Dream’s body trembles with each breath, the way his voice shakes as he repeats those words. It hurts George so much.

But ultimately George pulls away, leaving Dream clinging onto something that’s no longer there.

“I’m sorry, Dream.”

\---

It’s a pretty cool day despite being the fourth of July. The holiday meant a slow night at the shop. That only makes George more restless as he repetitively scoops ice cream into cones. George usually doesn’t make mistakes during his shifts, so something is clearly wrong when he messes up multiple orders in a row.

He already rejected Dream, right? They’ll both get over it and move on with their lives. Dream will go back to the city, and George will go back to college. He shouldn’t be bothered by something so minor. A stupid little romance.

“You okay?” Willow asks gently and George numbly nods. As soon as he nods though, he drops the ice cream off the cone and it splatters onto the floor. 

“God, no you’re not. You should probably take the day off,” Willow scolds, but her face holds a concerned expression.

“What? No, I’m fine,” George insists as he brings out the mop. He starts mopping but the mess only seems to get bigger. 

“Lie to me one more time and you’ll see what happens,” Willow challenges and takes the mop from him. She turns to look at George and waits expectantly. George sighs. Willow knows him much too well.

“I rejected Dream.” George bitterly laughs. “I rejected him, but I’m in love with him and I can’t tell him because I’m a fucking pussy. I’m scared of how I’ll feel when he leaves.”

“The George I know is truly a big pussy. In fact, I remember when he hated the ocean because he was scared of crabs.”

“Thanks, Willow,” George scoffs.

“But the George I know also eventually started loving the ocean after he felt the cold ocean on a hot summer day. George, this is none of my business, but sometimes you have to take risks to progress in life,” Willow places a hand on his shoulder. “Do what you want to do, George.”

George closes his eyes. Is he scared of being left behind? Yeah. But it’ll hurt more to not even try. He remembers Dream’s eyes, his hair, his dimples, his laugh. Is he willing to give that all up for fear?

The answer is obvious.

“Please cover for me!” George yells to Willow as he runs out of the shop. She shoots him a grin and gives a thumbs up. The bells ring behind him while his foot lands on the rough street outside of the shop.

He frantically pulls his bike out of the bike rack and starts pedaling down the same road he takes every day to work. He has no idea how or where to find Dream, but he continues to bike. He bikes to the roar of the waves, to the noises in the streets, and to the sound of his own heartbeat. 

As the antics of the holiday begin to set in, the roads become harder to maneuver. The sensible part of him ridicules himself on how stupid he’s being. There’s no way he can find Dream in the midst of all these people and as the sun is starting to set. But perhaps by some miracle, by some blessing, by some stupid twist of fate, Dream would be there.

George stops his bike when he sees a tall figure standing on the beach. Wavy blond hair and a familiar surfboard. 

“Dream!”

Dream turns around, his eyes are wide open with shock. He rubs his eyes, as if not believing what he is seeing.

“I love you!”

The surfboard is dropped on the sand. George’s bike clatters against the pavement. Both objects are forgotten. George runs towards Dream as he stands frozen. Then, as if something snaps inside of him, Dream opens his arms and catches George with a tight hug.

“George, what? W-What's going on?” Dream stammers, not knowing where to start. But the tight grasp around George is all the reassurance he needs.

“I love you so much, Dream. I’m so sorry. I love you,” George rambles as he feels tears pricking at his eyes. He holds Dream as tight as he can and presses his face into Dream’s chest, as if it would hide him from the world.

“God. I love you too, you moron,” Dream whispers. George gently holds Dream’s face and pulls him into a kiss, the addicting sensation of tears and smiles conveyed without words. The first fireworks light up the sky in brilliant colors and the crackles of the fireworks are almost enough to silence the rolling ocean. 

They stay like that for a while. A long while.

\---

“So after George had his edgy moment, you made up?” Sapnap confirms while chewing on a fry, a burger in his hand. George wiggles his toes in the warm sand while sipping on his drink. 

“Basically,” Dream answers happily. George, on the other hand, is not so happy. 

“Can I get off of your lap?” George requests. Dream’s tight grip on his waist is an answer in itself. Although George supposes it isn’t that bad.

“I thought you were sorry, George?” Dream teases as George burrows his red face into his hands. Ever since the confession on July 4th, Dream had used it as ammunition against him.

“I basically carried your relationship,” Willow summarizes and George sighs in defeat, submitting to the relentless teasing.

“Sure, sure…” He feeds Dream another fry that Dream happily accepts. It’s mid-August, which means that summer break is coming to an end and Dream is going back to college in Orlando. They had decided that they were ultimately going to take a break until George finishes college and becomes able to provide them with a steady living situation.

Long-distance would be for at least two years and commuting between George's college and Florida would have cost them a small fortune. Of course, George is upset, but he’s glad to have spent three months with Dream.

“Honestly, it reminds me of the time in college when I went out with this girl and…” Sapnap starts and Dream quickly loses interest.

“George, let's ditch these losers,” Dream whispers into George’s ear and he frowns. Dream continues to urge George to leave with him but his attempts are met with a small pinch to the nose.

“Don’t be fucking rude,” George replies before trying to refocus on Sapnap. But before he can, he feels himself being picked up.

“Not again,” Willow sighs as Dream takes George. He’s carrying George bridal style, and George can’t help rolling his eyes at the immaturity of the situation. He was nervous and embarrassed the first few times but he’s used to it by now. 

“You’re such a dickhead!” Sapnap yells after Dream, but he’s long gone even with George in his arms. All that remains on the beach is the echoes of Dream’s laugh.

Dream whoops shouts of victory as he runs under the light of the setting sun. George can’t help but let out a few giggles alongside his boyfriend’s loud laughter. An old couple walking together glances at them curiously and George gives them a wide grin.

When the coast is clear, Dream cautiously places George down. 

“My lord,” Dream teases and kisses the back of George’s hand. George laughs at his dork of a boyfriend but plays along.

“Where now, Sir Knight?” George asks, mustering the most serious expression he can manage. Dream grins and entangles his fingers with George’s. 

“Follow me, my lord,” Dream says and together they walk in the warm breeze of the afternoon, carrying scents of summer.

They end up at Dream’s small vacation home he shares with three other guys. Thankfully, the other two guys are out and Sapnap was ditched on the beach. 

Dream holds his hand out to guide George up the few porch steps and George accepts the offer. As they reach the top step, George pulls Dream into another loving kiss.

“George! What was that?” Dream demands as soon as their lips part but George does not fail to notice the blush shading his cheeks and ears. 

“I don’t know. Just felt like it,” George replies slyly, leaving Dream flustered and bewildered, “so you gonna let us in?”

Dream fumbles with a pot beside the door and pulls out a set of house keys. He unlocks the door to reveal a pretty neat house, surprising George. After all, there are four rowdy guys living here. 

They make their way through the house into Dream's small room where Dream collapses onto the bed. He gestures for George to cuddle with him, to which George easily obliges. 

“Are you worried, Dream?” George asks, Dream’s hand resting lazily in his hair. He absentmindedly grabs a hold of Dream’s other hand and starts counting the freckles on it.

“Of course I am. But I trust you, George, and I believe in us.” Dream murmurs as he presses soft kisses along the back of George’s neck. 

“Mmmm, good answer,” George mumbles as he turns around and presses a kiss to Dream’s lips. 

They cuddle for nearly three hours before Dream decides it was time to walk George home. Hand in hand, they walk the several blocks it takes to reach George’s house.

George gazes into Dream’s loving eyes and he can't help but smile. His heart beats so hard for this man that sometimes he’s afraid it’ll jump out of his chest. But he knows if it does, Dream will be there, ready to catch it.

As their lips meet, they both know that it’s a promise. A promise to stay together for eternity.

“I love you, George,” Dream grins.

“I love you too, Dream.”

\---

George lays in bed, the sun showering his room in light. He thinks about the way Dream had wrapped himself around George’s smaller figure, the way he would compliment George until his mouth ran dry, and the way he would make dumb jokes then entertain himself with his charming laugh. Random outbursts of giggles emerge whenever his mind drifts back to Dream.

His first sign is when his mother walks into his room with a sad, empathetic expression. She tells him the words that shatter his mirage of happiness. Tearing him away from the life with Dream he has fantasized about ever since he met him.

“Dream passed away.”

” is the first thought that passes through George’s mind. Everything is too much and not enough at once. The sun seems to blind him, yet he feels as though he could freeze at any moment. 

“You’re lying,” the words tumble from his lips. He looks at his mother in disbelief, silently pleading for it to be a cruel joke. His mother’s silence is the only answer he needs to confirm.

He grabs his phone, shaking. He can barely muster to move his fingers to as he texts Dream. 

With every text, denial seeps away into mortifying fear. George runs downstairs, unable to stop the tears from rolling down his face. As soon as he arrives downstairs, the voices on the television strike him like a punch in the gut.

“The driver was intoxicated and claimed that the victim was nearly invisible in the dark. Despite the fact that paramedics did everything they could to save him, the victim, unfortunately, passed away at 2:23 am on August 12th,”

“And what did you say the victim’s name was?”

“Dream…” The reporter starts and as soon as George hears those words he crumples to the floor. He struggles to breathe as sobs rack his body. He will never feel Dream’s arms embrace him or kiss his soft lips again. He will never hear Dream’s laugh or see the way he gazes as if George is everything.

He will never see Dream again.

For the first time, George skips work. He lays in his room, staring at the ceiling watching time pass or occasionally letting tears slip down his face. The days morph into nights and everything seems meaningless if he can’t see Dream again. As quickly as Dream appeared and made himself the most important part of George’s life, he was torn away, leaving George yearning for someone that wasn’t there.

Some nights he would think of Dream in his sleep. They would step in the cold ocean together, letting their worries be carried out with the tides. And then he would be dragged back to harsh reality when he wakes up without a hand to hold.

After a week, he is finally forced out of his house due to the fact his mother’s increasing concern for his health. As he stands in the streets with the sun beaming down on him, he feels a surge of anger go through him. It is soon accompanied by sadness. 

Dream’s funeral is back in his hometown in Florida, so he can’t even attend. George is a little thankful, though, because he isn’t sure he can handle seeing Dream’s lifeless body laying in the casket.

“It was a promise. A promise, Dream,” George says as he looks up to the sky. He waits for a few seconds as if expecting a reply. Quickly realizing how stupid he was being, he bitterly scoffs at himself for his pathetic thoughts. 

Then, he starts walking along the long paved path beside the beach with people all around him. The sound of other people happily chattering away makes George feel excluded, like a stone parting a turbulent river.

He cannot imagine how the world could function so well, so happily, without Dream when he feels like he is going to either burst into tears or drop dead at any moment.

As he drags himself past a family, he finds himself at the same spot where he confessed to Dream. While George gazes at the beach, he sees Sapnap staring at the crashing ocean. He holds a small paper bag in his hands and George can see his name written on it with Dream’s messy handwriting.

“Sapnap,” George cautiously approaches him and Sapnap turns around with a small smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

“George,” Sapnap acknowledges. George stares at the dark circles under his eyes and his chapped lips. It’s as if the life was drained out of him as he continues, “I honestly didn’t know where to find you. I’ve walked around like every day trying to look for you.”

“Sorry. Haven’t been feeling too well.”

“Yeah,” they stay silent for a second as if waiting for something, before Sapnap speaks up again, “I wanted to give you this. Dream would’ve wanted you to have it,”

Sapnap holds out the paper bag and George takes it with hesitancy. Sapnap gives George one last sad smile before passing him.

“Thanks, Sapnap,” George mumbles, clutching the bag in his hands. 

That’s the last time that George ever sees Sapnap.

He sits down on the sand with the bag in his lap. He waits, debating whether or not he should open it. He’s fearful of the potential repercussions that would come with opening the bag. 

George sighs and then smiles. He can almost hear Dream yelling at him to stop being dumb and just open the bag. The first thing that catches his eye is an envelope sealed close with a piece of scotch tape.

He opens it and pulls out a letter. He can almost hear Dream reading it to him.

“Hi, George. By the time you’re reading this letter, I’m probably in Florida and you’re probably back in college. To be perfectly honest, I’m nervous. About college, about being apart, about us. But I wanted you to know that my heart is always with you. I love you so much, George. I love you so much that sometimes I lay awake at night, smiling because of you. Did you know baby’s breath symbolizes everlasting love? I think that's beautiful. I’ll see you again soon, my love. Yours only, Dream.”

A sob ripples through George’s body. Hot tears fall onto the paper, blurring the ink. 

“Dream,” He whispers over and over again.

“Dream, I can’t do it without you,” George holds the letter close to his heart as shrinks into himself. He cries to himself, imagining Dream wrapping himself around him and pressing gentle kisses to his cheeks and neck. He imagines Dream rubbing little circles on his hands in an attempt to soothe him. But that was no longer possible.

The bag topples over and a small item falls out. It is a pressed baby’s breath enclosed into a bookmark. He gently picks it up, as if fearing it would crumble beneath his fingertips. The glossy bookmark reflects the sun and makes the flowers a stunning shade of white.

“You okay son?” An old man asks out of concern. He peers down at George curiously and George quickly wipes away his tears.

“Yeah. Just forgot something important,” George smiles.

\---

The hot weather of Florida makes George sweat like hell. Of course, his hometown was hot, but nothing compared to Florida in the summer. He flinches as his shirt brushes against his fresh sunburn.

His foot crunches against the gravel of the path as he makes his way up to the top of the hill. Flowers and gravestones surround him. As he approaches the headstone, a smile graces his lips.

“Hey, Dream,” He greets as he holds his bouquet filled with baby’s breath. He gently places it down next to the grave and holds a moment of silence before continuing.

“I’m so glad I’m done with college. God, you would not believe how much drama happens. I had to spend a lot of money to visit you, y’know? I hope you're thankful.” George sits down and fiddles with the bright green blades of grass.

“Sorry I’m late Dream. I thought about visiting you a lot, but I wimped out of it every single time. Honestly, I was nervous about it even this morning. But ultimately, I knew this is the only way I can move on from you,” 

“I miss you, Dream,” George says as he places his head down on his knees, “I miss you every day. I’m doing well for myself though. I got a job at a big tech company and one of my college friends set me up for a blind date tomorrow.”

He pauses, letting the wind whistle through the trees. The smell of the ocean sweeps through the quiet graveyard.

“I love you. I’ll always love you,” he finishes. He sighs like a weight is being taken off his shoulders. George then gets up and dusts off his pants. He spares one last smile for Dream before making his way down the same path.

The birds sing their song, people quietly mourn, and George leaves behind his summer Dream.

**Author's Note:**

> how are we doing? good, I hope.
> 
> this is so scuffed cause I wrote it all on the same day so I would like to thank my friends for being gods and editing it for me <3 I haven't written fanfic since third grade so please don't be too harsh on me lol.


End file.
